Electromechanical switching device.



R. R. MILLER.

ELBGTROMECHANIGAL SWITCHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 13, 1909.

1 ,OO7 ,886, Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGIAPN 60.,VASHINGI0N. D c.

R. R. MILLER.

ELEOTROMEGHANIOAL SWITCHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.13, 1909.

1,007,886, Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

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ATTOR EY.

Wa ren STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROYAL RUEBEN MILLER, OF PUEBLO, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLARD C. DARBY, OF PUEBLO, COLORADO.

ELECTROMECHANICAL SWITCHING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROYAL RUEBEN MIL? LER, citizen of the United States, residing at Pueblo, Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Electromechanical Switching Device, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electro-mechanical switching mechanism for electric railways, and the objects of my invention are to provide; 1st, electric means for actuating the mechanism that moves the switching tongue 2nd, to enable the operator to have complete control of the movement of the switch; 3rd, to utilize the power of an electromagnetic current to operate mechanical means for throwing the switch tongue; and, 4th, to simplify the use of electromagnetic power in a switch throwing device.

I attain these objects by the mechanisms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which, 7

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my device with the covers removed placed adjacent to the switch tongue to be operated; Fig. 2 is a view in elevation with one side and part of the ends of the box broken away so as to show the working parts included therein; Fig. 3 is an elevation View showing the relation of connecting wires and trolley; Fig. 4 is a plan and elevation view showing the relation of the device to an insulated section of the trolley; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the throwing lever and throwing cam; and Fig. 6 is a broken sectional view showing a modified form of application of the centering spring.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, 1 is a box embedded in the ground level with the surface, adjacent to the tongue of the switch and is composed of compartments 2, 3, and 4. The throwing lever 8 is provided with the head 7 and is pivotally attached by pin 17 to the bottom 6 of the box and through the bracket 18. A portion of the head 7 is extended upward and to this portion is attached the throwing cam 19 by means of the screws 25. The throwing cam 19 is provided with a point 26, and from this point the sides slanted away outwardly toward the base or broader Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 13, 1909.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

Serial No. 532,949.

part of the cam 19, terminating in the semicircular forms 27 and 27 The pin 17 may be extended to the upper side of the cam 19. The throwing cam 19 is fixed to the head 7 of the throwing lever, so that the point 26 is over the center longitudinally of the throwing lever 8. At the end of throwing lever 8 farthest from the head 7 is the slot 8. Tl1e1clevis arms 12 and 12 are attached to the stem 11 and connected pivotally with the throwing lever 8 by means of the pin 10 passing through holes in the end of said clevis arms and the slot 8*. The pin 13 passes through the stem 11 and is fixed therein, forming pivotal bearings at 13 in the bottom of the box G and in the partition 3*, with packing ring means 32 to prevent the intrusion of moisture. On the top of 13 is attached the offset lever arm 14 by one end, and at the other end of the offset lever 14 is attached one end of the switching bar 15. The other end of the switch bar 15 is attached to the tongue 15 of the switch. The throwing lever 8 and the clevis arms 12 and 12 by means of slot 8 form a double knee joint. One end of the spiral spring 9, over the throwing lever 8, bears on the head 7 and the other end bears on the pin 10, thus forcing the clevis arms 12 and 12 to the full limit of the movement allowed. At 14 in the oifset lever 14 a slot is provided to permit the throwing of the bar 15 in direct alinement.

In the compartment 2 is placed a solenoid 85 having operatively therein the plunger 29 as a core. The cross head 28 is attached to the outer end of the plunger 29 having thereon guides which operate in grooves 33 and 33a in the guide pieces 31. A bulkhead 34 is attached to the ends of the casing 81 farthest from the solenoid. One end of the spiral spring 30, over the plunger 29, bears on the partition 2 and the other end bears on the crosshead 28. A centering arm 20 is attached pivotally to the crosshead 28 by means of pin 23. In one form of construction the springs 24 and 24 are attached to the crosshead and bear one on each side of the centering arm 20, which springs tend to hold said centering arm 20 in true alinement with said plunger 29, and when the farther end of the centering arm is pushed out of alinement said springs tend to return it to alinement. Another form of construction is shown in Fig. 6, wherein a spiral spring 46 is attached at one end to a hook 48 in the partition 4 and the other end is,

attached to the hook 47 in the top of the centering arm. By use of such spring 46 the springs 24 and 24 may be dispensed with as the spring 46 serves both to center the arm 20, and to retain the crosshead 28 to its inoperative position against the bulk head 34. These two forms of construction, the use of springs 30, 24, and 24" on the one hand; and the use of spring 46 on the other hand constitute no departure from the principle of my invention, as the object is to hold said centering arm 20 in true alinement with the plunger 29, and to return the plunger 29 to the position shown in Fig. 2. At the farther end of said centering arm 20, on v the underneath side thereof, is pivotally fixed the friction wheel 21 by means of;

pin 22.

In Fig. 5 is shown the throwing cam 19 and throwing lever 8 in detail.

other position taken would be with the slotted end of the lever 8 and the guide: point 26 below the line A B as shown by' the centering bar 20 is directly over the center 1 line AB. Upon the plunger 29 being drawn into the solenoid the friction wheel 21 will strike the slanted side of the throwing cam 19 that lies across the center line AB and will pull the switch tongue 15 into the opfposite position.

In a trolley line 39 that furnishes the electric current is provided an insulated portion 36, of desired length, by means of the insulation 42 at the ends; and a section 41 that passes over the insulation and completes the circuit in the trolley 39. The transmission means 38 connects the trolley 39 and the solenoid 35; and like transmission means 37 connects the insulated trolley section 36 and the solenoid 35. In like man ner, if the electric current is furnished by under ground trolley, or a third rail, an insulated porting like that placed in the overhead trolley may be used. The cover to the box 1 is divided into two parts 5' and 6, so that when desired the whole of sections 2 and 3 may be made water tight, and filled with some nonconducting liquid, while the covering 5 may be removed at any time for repairs of the portions included in the compartment 4.

The line AB represents a line produced along the 1 center longitudinally of the plunger 29, and the drawing shows one of the positions taken by the cam 19 and lever 8 when not being acted upon by the force of the solenoid; the 1 The device being placed adjacent to the switch tongue to be operated, and the solenoid being connected by transmission means with the electric current and insulated sections as above stated the switching device is operated as follows :VVhen it is desired to throw the switch, upon the trolley 40 coming into the insulated section 36, the operator throws the controller 43 on so as to connect through the motor 44 to the ground rail 45 and the circuit is completed through the solenoid by the current passing from the trolley 39 through the transmission wire 38 into the solenoid, thence over the transmission wire 37 to the insulated section 36 and by the trolley through the controller and motors to the ground, thus energizing the selenoid 35 and pulling the plunger 29 as a core into the solenoid whereby the centering arm 20 is pulled back, and the friction wheel 21 passes to the side of the point 26 of the throwing cam that is across the center line as before described and along the face of the cam toward the point 27 or 27, and the cam is forced into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thereby pushing the clevis arms 12 and 12 beyong the center line and into a position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and thus throwing the switching tongue 15. The spring 9 also holds the several parts in position when the solenoid is not energized. As soon as the circuit is broken through the solenoid the crosshead 28 of the plunger 29 by the spring means 30 is returned to its position, and the centering arm 20 occupies its normal position of being in line with the center of the plunger 29-, and it is ready for the next required operation of the switch. If the operator does not desire to throw the switch he throws off the controller that operates the motor while passing through the insulated portion of the trolley and the switch will remain in position. By well known and commonly used means of winding the solenoid suflicient current may be permitted to pass through it while the trolley is on an insulated section so as to furnish the amount necessary for light, heating and operation of air pumps, without the solenoid becoming sulii'ciently energized to operate the plunger.

Solenoidal magnets have been used in switching devices in pairs and with auxiliary mechanisms to change the course of the electrical current through the solenoid, but by use of the spring means to return the plunger in my device only one solenoidal magnet is necessary and the switch tongue is acted upon at all times in whichever position it may be. The throwing cam having a V shaped track, the apex being farthest away from the solenoid and fixed to a throwing lever, the centering arm will cause the boss or anti-friction wheel on the end of the centering arm to strike at one side of the apex of the cam track when the core, which is designated as a plunger, is drawn into the coil and thus actuates the mechanical por tion of the mechanism. While I have provided an anti-friction Wheel on the centering arm it is readily seen that a boss or bearingin place thereof would perform the movements required and the anti-friction wheel is used merely to avoid friction.

I do not confine myself to the use of the toggle described, to which the throwing cam is attached, as it is readily seen that a difierent lever arrangement may be provided to which the throwing cam may be attached without departing from the principle of my invention. The double knee joint, and the expansion spring bearing on the head of the throwing lever and the clevis union constitute means materially aiding in holding the switch tongue in the position into which it is thrown and the spring materially assists in completing the throw of the switch tongue when the core of the solenoid may have approximately reached the limit of the full force of the attraction, thus avoiding the necessity of proportioning the core. Further, my device is at all times operative without extra throwing of the switch, so that if the switch tongue should be moved by mechanical means the device will operate the same as if the tongue had been thrown by the device.

I claim:

, 1. In electric railways having throwing switches with movable tongues, electrically driven cars with trolleys, motors and controllers, and means for transmitting electric energy having insulated sections therein, an electro-mechanical. switching device; the combination with a solenoidal magnet, con nected with said electric transmitting means and one of said insulated sections; of a crosshead attached to the core of said solenoidal magnet with guide flanges therein operative in grooves of a holding frame and provided with spring returning means, a centering arm at one end pivotally attached to said crosshead carrying in the other end a turnable wheel with spring means adapted to centering said arm, a throwing lever pivotally attached having a head at one end and a slot at the other end, a pivoted lever having clevis arms attached pivotally to said throwing lever through the slot thereof adapted to constitute a double knee joint having also an offset arm pivotally attached by slot means to a bar connected with one of said movable switch tongues, an expansion spring means on said throwing lever bearing against the head thereof and said clevis arms, a throwing cam fixed to said head of said throwing lever having a cam bearing V shaped slanting away from the apex thereon outwardly on each side terminating in a semi-circular form and adapted to engagement on the alternate sides with said wheel in said centering arm, all substantially as set forth.

2. In an electro-mechanical switching device of the character described, the combination of a solenoidal magnet connected by transmission means with the source of electric supply and with an insulated section therein also having an extended core constituting a plunger carrying a crosshead thereon; a holding frame with guide means to carry and control the movement of said crosshead; a spring means adapted to return said crosshead and plunger; and, a centering arm attached at one end pivotally to said crosshead provided with spring means adapted to hold the same in a central position having engaging means attached at the other end of said centering arm, a cam with track flaring in V shape from a central point ending in semi-circular forms fixed to a lever connected by intermediate lever and bar means with the movable tongue of a switch disposed so as to be acted upon by the said engaging means of said centering arm alternately on the portions of the cam track adjacent to the apex of said cam, all substantially as set forth.

3. In an electro-mechanical switching device of the character described, a centering lever pivotally attached at the free end of the core of a solenoidal magnet provided with spring means adapted to maintain said arm in a central position; an engaging means attached at the other end of said centering arm adapted to engage a cam track; a throwing lever; a throwing cam fixed to said throwing lever having a track forming an angle at the center over said throwing lever slanting therefrom on each side outwardly terminating at each end in a semicircular form suitable to engage said engaging means on said centering lever said cam so disposed that in each movement of said throwing lever the said engaging means will travel on said cam track on alternate sides of the apex of said angle to the said semi-circular end; all substantially as set forth.

4. In an electro-mechanical switching device of the character described, the combination of a plunger having a guide and controlling frame actuated by electro-magnet means; with a centering arm, one end of which is pivotally attached to the free end of said plunger the other end provided with means adapted to engage operatively a cam face, spring means adapted to hold said arm centrally and return said plunger when not actuated by said electro-magnet means, a pivoted lever having clevis arms attached pivotally to said throwing lever through the slot thereof adapted to constitute a double knee joint having also an offset arm pivotally attached by slot means to a bar conhcted to a mox' able switch tongue; fan eX- engage on the alt'erhafie -sils of said apex pansion Spring men-11 011 said throwing 19- said iiieaiis iii the free *end of said c'e'ntring 10 ver bearing against the head th'ereof and arm, all substantially as set forth.

said cl'evis ari'n's, a throwing cam fixed to \Vitii'ess my signature. a

said head of said throwing l'e'v'er having 'a ROYAL RUEBEN MILLER.

cam bearing fade Wit-h a V shape slanting Witnesses:

away from the apex and terminating in a MAUpE S. ENGLE,

semi-circular form on each side adapted to C; WALKER,

bopies or this pateht ma be bbtm'e-d for fiRrQ 1155 5 am i addissin the Commissioner or Patents.

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